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The RSPB's role
Our Snettisham nature reserve is one of many with SPA status
- Campaigning for the Directive during the late 1970s; we also
assisted in its drafting.
- Supporting bird surveys to identify Important Bird Areas, for
consideration for protection as Special Protection Areas.
- Assisting the UK Government, country administrations and
statutory conservation bodies, in the development of SPA site
selection guidelines, and their application.
- Promoting protection for Special Protection Areas in planning
documents and other land use strategies. We also help to identify
best practice policies and disseminate them between planning
authorities.
- Acting as a ‘watchdog’ to spot development proposals that might
damage sites; where appropriate, objecting to damaging
developments. We also assist with site monitoring to help assess
site condition. If deterioration in site quality is detected, we
will press for remedial action to be taken by the appropriate
agencies.
- We support the protection and positive management of SPAs
through the RSPB reserve network. Some 60% of the RSPB’s reserve
holding has been designated SPA, that is 80,219 ha of 134,047 ha.
In total, the RSPB helps to conserve 5.5% of the total SPA area of
1,447,557 ha in the UK.
Last modified: 02 April 2004